(Ruby's POV)
The morning was quiet, the kind of quiet that felt like a gift.
I woke before Nicholas, before Elle, before the sun had fully risen. The room was dim, the curtains still drawn. I lay there for a while, listening to the house settle around me. The floorboards creaked. Somewhere in the distance, a bird was singing. The wind whispered against the windows.
I slipped out of bed and walked to the nursery. The floor was cool under my bare feet. Elle was awake. Her gray eyes were open, staring at the mobile above her crib. The little birds circled slowly. She turned her head when I entered.
"Good morning, baby."
She kicked her feet.
"It's going to be a good day. I can feel it."
She grabbed her toes.
"I know. You're happy."
